Serpensortia
by IdLetTheBasiliskEatYou
Summary: Draco Malfoy excessively denies an apparent crush he harbors for Hermione Granger, but he goes to dramatic and ridiculous lengths to prove his indifference to her. His perceptive, scheming fellow Slytherins are not letting this crush go unnoticed. They speculate that this infatuation is the manifestation of a magical malady and take his treatment into their own hands.
1. European Asp

**Serpensortia**

 **Chapter One: European Asp**

Since the inception of the Hogwarts, there had been strict prohibitions on the brewing and use of love potions of any kind on school grounds. For good reason, as love potions had been a notoriously recurring epidemic of humiliation on the students since its doors had opened. Year after year, students particularly gifted at discreet, advanced potion brewing set to the task of supplying it for profit. If brewed correctly, the more unsavory students paid an exorbitant amount of galleons for the potion in hopes of embarrassing or coercing their fellow students. If brewed incorrectly, a long visit to St. Mungo's was surely in your future should that brew find itself in your goblet.

Pansy Parkinson had long suspected the existence of such a greedy potioneer in her year, but had yet to confirm her suspicions on the identity of the culprit. She revisited her thoughts on love potions as she observed her classmates from her station at the back of the potion classroom. Today, their assignment was to brew an acceptable antidote to love potions which Pansy couldn't help but think was probably to take some of the burden off Madam Pomfrey who had to keep such stores stocked at all times.

Next to her, Draco added the Wiggentree twigs to their simmering cauldron while she considered him out of the corner of her eye. Draco didn't realize he was being watched. That misstep was Pansy's first inclination that Draco had some preoccupation going on mentally. He never missed an opportunity to catch her staring so he could feel smug or leer at her because he liked the attention. He was crushing Gurdyroot as finely as possible now, but every now and then his guarded expression would slip into a vulnerable, perplexing one. He'd sneak peeks over to the station at the front of the room when Pansy would add ingredients, but his fleeting looks didn't go unnoticed. The open face he made was one Pansy had yet to see transform his features ever before, probably due to the fact that he always monitored his expressions as did most Slytherins. It wouldn't do to have your feelings on your sleeve in this snake house. You'd be an easy target, and by the end of the year, you'd be begging to be resorted into Hufflepuff as Slytherins had zero capacity for compassion. Following his line of sight, she found the source of his thoughts to be none other than Hermione Granger, and Pansy felt her fists clench. _Granger has overstepped this time_ , Pansy thought.

 _This year_ , she decided angrily, _I'll prove it's her once and for all. She has everyone fooled_ , _but not me_. The sudden line of suitors who pursued Hermione Granger wasn't lost on Pansy, and a love potion was the only reasonable explanation. After all, someone as homely as that muggleborn had to do something to improve her prospects. Pansy could have even overlooked this type of misbehavior had it not been for the sheer audacity of Granger this year. To have falsely ensnared so many pureblood males, it was unforgivable. Granger could have just kept to mothering her two idiot boyfriends, scar faced Harry Potter and blood traitor Ronald Weasley. No respectable pureblood girl of any means wanted those two dim imbecilic boys. She'd sooner marry Greggory Goyle or Vincent Crabbe at an all you can eat buffet. However, the burning injustice was that Granger's greed didn't stop there!

Lately, Gryffindor's Cormac McLaggen was trailing Granger in the hallways after their respective classes as Granger dashed away playing coy and making ridiculous excuses to escape him. While he wasn't Pansy's type as he was a Gryffindor, he was a well off, pureblooded wizard whose family has big influence in the Ministry. She could see his uses. She could even recall that laughable time an internationally renowned Quidditch player took Granger to the Yule Ball. Frankly, a star athlete that could have taken any girl at Hogwarts to the dance taking that bookish shrew should've been the end of her love potion spree. Now, she was supposed to endure _her_ Draco's sudden potion induced infatuation with that freakishly smart mudblood? _Over my dead, decomposing body_ , Pansy grumpily thought as she practiced her calligraphy by drawing her Pansy Malfoy signature on the margins of her parchment and thought of all the misfortunes she could have befall Granger should the Dark Lord soon take power.

"Proper names on your parchment only, _Parkinson_ ," emphasized Snape as he slithered by to observe their cauldron. "Two points from Slytherin for pointless daydreaming. Both of you." Snape gave Draco and Pansy dark looks before briskly walking over to the station where Weasley and Potter sat.

Snape was obviously unimpressed by what he found, as he announced to the class, "Fifty points from Gryffindor for Weasley's inability to refrain from eating his potion ingredients. Had you been paying even a _slight_ amount of attention, you would remember my warning. While the leaves are addictively sweet tasting, bowtruckles ferociously guard Wiggentrees in the wild, and such an action would prompt attack. This would likely end in your untimely death given that you no doubt paid just as much attention to how to diffuse confrontation with a branch of bowtruckles in your Magical Creatures class." Collective sighs erupted from the Gryffindor half of the class while giggles erupted from all others, and Ronald turned red in embarrassment and tried to pull the leaves from his mouth. Hermione hissed Ronald's name in reprimand from her station behind him as Snape commanded the class to bottle and label what dribble they'd made for him then leave his classroom.

Pansy hurriedly grabbed a plain bottle to put their potion in, but as she glimpsed the antidote potion in their cauldron, she was struck with a quick plan of self proclaimed evil brilliance. She ladled a few servings of the potion into the bottle before purposely spilling some on herself and the ground around her. In her pretend surprise at her clumsiness, she feigned slipping into the puddle, and as Draco gallantly turned to right her from falling forward, she took the opportunity to use the momentum to chuck the bottle's contents at Malfoy's startled face. She hit her mark, but he didn't do her any favors by sputtering like a drowning victim.

"Pansy! Look what you've done!" Malfoy growled as he stood before her with the potion staining his face and robes. He grabbed his bag violently, and shoved his parchments within it before stalking out of class with a door slam. Pansy watched him leave and wondered if her practiced look of innocence passed inspection. Taking stock of the class mates who had stopped to watch her spectacle, she leveled them a glare to stop their scrutiny. Only, one student hadn't stop staring in return. Blaise Zabini gave her a long look of such knowing that she filled with dread at being so transparent to his gaze. As she bottled the remains of their assignment, all the humiliating scenarios of Blaise using this information against her ran through her head as she berated herself for such a hasty plan.

 **A/N: Hello! Thanks for reading! I'm writing for my own frivolous and therapeutic purposes and not with professional intent, so please feel relieved of the duty to harshly critique my story. Otherwise let me know what you think (in English or Parseltongue), and I'll update regularly! Hissssss hissssss until next time, Sneksssss!**


	2. Spitting Cobra

**Serpensortia**

 **Chapter Two: Spitting Cobra**

Hermione nibbled her food quietly while trying to read a bulky book she was hiding under the table in the Great Hall to avoid spilling food onto it. It was a historical biography of Slytherin's most famous wizard, Merlin, who used his magical prowess to thwart several attempts on the life of King Arthur of Camelot while he also used his cunning to conceal his wizarding nature to avoid the growing persecution of wizards and witches at the time. It was hard for Hermione to find time to read books recreationally like this. She usually spent her time learning the contents of all her textbooks for class ahead of schedule, so her schedule called for her to bring books with her everywhere she went if she wanted to cram in any leisure reading. She always passively listened to the ongoing conversation at the table and made the occasional comment though, so her friends wouldn't feel neglected by her reading habits.

"You hear that slimy git Malfoy is in the hospital after getting poisoned by his own rotten potion?" Ron guffawed while chewing his food. "Oh, it hurts! My father will hear about this! Dad! Mum!" he mocked, pretending to grab his stomach and die dramatically while impersonating Malfoy's drawl. To his right, Seamus laughed so heartily that he knocked his goblet onto the table trying to keep himself upright.

"Had you not consumed your ingredients, you might've made a potion too," Hermione icily grumbled under her breath, a little peeved that all the points she'd earned in class were decimated by one single Weasley mishap. Fifty points were hard to come by in that class with Snape only giving her point credits in the single digits. Ron tossed a bread roll at her in retribution, and it bounced off her sweater and into the crevice of her book. "Honestly, Ronald!" She sputtered, set the roll on the table, and proceeded to angrily shake out her book. Giving him a glare, she announced she'd be in the library. Harry and Ginny called goodbyes to her retreating back. As she exited the great hall through the large double doors, she happened to cross paths with Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass who were talking together as they headed into the hall.

Normally, a bored, unfriendly look was all the fanfare Hermione received from the Slytherins when encountering them. Their house rivalry was more centered on Harry and Ron, and they seldom deemed her significant enough to bestow anything more than a disgruntled look her way. Their indifference to her had confused her at first when they obviously found such provocation from Harry and Ron's mere existence. Now, she could assuredly say their disregard was due to their perceived superiority to her muggleborn blood status, and she snubbed them in return for dismissing her so pettily. Her blood status was a fact that Malfoy quickly found excuses to call attention to at any and every tactless opportunity that arose in spite of his usual showmanship of exemplary polite, gracious, and so called "pureblood" etiquette towards other students. While he held himself to be just as superior to her as his other Slytherins did, he was the exception to the other Slytherins dismissals. Unlike his casually unfriendly peers, Malfoy found every opening to condemn and antagonize the Gryffindor trio of friends endlessly, paying particularly malicious attention to her. She found herself secretly feeling relived that the other Slytherins didn't similarly challenge her at every turn because she had a very busy schedule to attend to. Just dodging his vile presence or being baited into verbally sparring took up valuable time in her day that could be better utilized studying, and with a thought, she shuttered at what a whole confrontational group of his vapid followers would do to eat into her timetable. She clenched her book tighter to her at that nightmare, and inwardly thought of Malfoy's and his father's smug reactions at Malfoy finally beating her to top of the class. _In his wildest dreams_ , she thought resolutely.

Pansy stopped abruptly as she passed Hermione and reached out a hand to shove into Hermione's shoulder. The motion knocked the book from her hands. Pansy picked it up and read the title. "Reading up on famous Slytherins, huh? Can't help but think that's fitting given your recent tastes." Pansy taunted, as she tossed the book down the corridor outside the Great Hall entrance. A few Hufflepuff first years were passing by and quickly sidestepped being hit by the heavy tome which hit the stone ground with a loud snap. Daphne Greengrass who let out a feminine giggle and lightly pulled on Pansy's arm.

"Oh, come on, Pansy. She's not worth wasting your time speaking to. Mudbloods never are," Daphne tutted. The pair gave her parting glares before going into the Great Hall as Hermione watched them in perplexed shock.

Snapping out of it, she hurried to retrieve her book down the hallway, and frowned at the beaten up binding. _Sorry, Merlin. I've never seen a book so mistreated in my life! Madam Pince is going to have an absolute fit. I borrowed it in excellent condition. I'll be shelving books for weeks for this._ She groaned to herself _,_ and opened the cover of the book to the standard warning Pince puts on the inside covers of all her precious books. It cautioned: 'A warning: If you rip, tear, shred, bend, fold, deface, disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop, or in any other manner damage, mistreat, or show lack of respect towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as it is within my power to make them.' Perhaps, she hoped as she hid in the book in her bag, she could research how to magically repair the damage in the library without attracting Madam Pince's notice.

She was finally feeling less anxious as she settled into her claimed corner of the library with several advanced books on magical archive preservation spells set out in front of her giving her perfect instructions on how to correct the book's binding. Within minutes, the book looked good as new, and Hermione was beaming in triumph at the the result. It occurred to her then, with Madam Pince's possible retribution now behind her, that Pansy's attack had been so strange. _What had she been talking about? My recent tastes? Famous Slytherins? What is she insinuating?_ She had been lost in futile thought about the situation with Pansy when soft footsteps in her quiet section of the library roused her from her thoughts. Theodore Nott slipped quietly into his customary seat at the next table over and carefully put out books and parchments on his table. This had been his routine daily since the beginning of the year, much to Hermione's curiosity, since she'd come to expect all Slytherins to treat her with a radius of personal space as if her blood status was a contagious disease. He cracked open his Transfiguration textbook and began reading with sharp, intelligent eyes roaming behind his glasses. They'd never spoken despite sitting nearby each other each day while studying, and Hermione had certainly never openly stared at him before either. Today, shaping up to be truly strange, Hermione unabashedly studied Theodore Nott while he read and thought for the first time about the prospect of speaking to him. As he read, he had a look of concentration on his regal face that made his passive expression seem rather frustrated, and he'd rake his hands through his soft, messy, deep brown hair every few minutes adding to that effect.

"Must you stare so?" he demanded suddenly, not looking away from his book. "It's annoying."

"I'm curious," Hermione returned. "Why are you sitting there?"

"Why should I not?" he muttered. "Did you curse my chair or something?"

"No!" she started, affronted.

"It's a library. Whisper, will you? I don't want that ghoul Pince breathing down my neck." he grumbled again, finally turning his eyes from his book to return her scrutiny. He propped his chin on his fist, seeming to consider her, and then he gestured her closer with an impatient swipe of fingers. "What do you want to know?"

"Nothing, I just noticed you sitting there—," Hermione explained hesitantly, seating herself in the seat in front of him at his table.

"Don't lie to me so obviously," he interrupted sternly, showing his disapproval with a slight frown and unwavering eyes. "We both know I've sat here in peace for months. Suddenly, you can't contain yourself. Pretenses aside, I will answer whatever urgent question you have. In return for indulging you, I ask that you show me the answer to this Transfiguration question." He pushed his book towards her, gesturing to the problem. "I can't make basilisk heads or tails of it."

Hermione couldn't help the titter of amusement that escaped her at his figure of speech, and she felt emboldened to speak her mind about her day since he'd invited her to.

"Today, Parkinson took issue with me reading about Merlin because it is indicative, she thinks, of my 'fitting taste in famous Slytherins'. I have no idea what she's referring to." Hermione began. "It's hard for me not to know. My mind can't let things go unanswered. I wondered if it had anything to do with us sitting next to each other now, as you're the only Slytherin I've even willingly interacted with besides classes."

"It's flattering that you think I'm famous, though the way you said it sounded more like infamy. Not all of us Sacred 28 Slytherins are villains, I'll have you know. I doubt this has to do with me." he replied. "Pansy and I don't talk much, but there's a way I can find out. If it puzzles you enough to do my homework for this week, that is." Theodore ended his words with a mischievous grin.

Hermione huffed and stuck her hand out to Theodore Nott to confirm their deal. She really did want the closure of knowing the cause of Pansy's baffling behavior. Pulling his text towards her, she pointed to the question he asked about, and gave him the answer then noted pages he should review for better understanding. She ended up coaching him through his homework for the next two hours, and they parted ways cordially with her wondering if she had just made her first Slytherin House friend since she'd been enrolled in Hogwarts. _Only took 6 years_ , she laughed to herself as she headed to Gryffindor Tower.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading another chapter! Let me know what you think (in English or Parseltongue). Now, I swear proper Dramione is coming up, no worries. I wanted to time my time to build a Dramione story that includes all my favorite Slytherins with all of their interesting quirks being extremely difficult like they do best. Theo is my second favorite crush for Hermione if I wasn't so adamant about Hermione and Draco. I'll try to make the next few chapters longer. Feel free to message me about any situations you'd like to see crop up in the story between Hermione and the Slytherins. Point out any errors to me if you wish to do so. Hiss hiss until next time, Sneks!**


	3. Crossed Viper

Serpensortia

Chapter Three: Crossed Viper

The next day, Theodore spent some free time before lunch lounging in his favorite leather reading chair while playing a charmed wizarding chess game by himself. He could never find an opponent to match his skill anyways, he figured. Currently, a group of first years sat close to the fire while they chatted and studied together in the gleam of the firelight on enormous floor pillows made of green and silver velvet. It seems they hadn't gotten used to the chill of the dungeon yet as a few warmed their fingers near the fire. The first year girls would sneakily steal looks over at the only study table not swarmed with people. Draco Malfoy sat at a study table catching up on the work he'd missed while he had been recuperating in the infirmary from a condition he described as 'near death.' He had all his books and supplies claiming all the available space of the table, and his foul mood deterred anyone from encroaching on his territory. Pansy had learned the error of doing just that earlier when an attempt to fawn over him earned her a loud, embarrassing demand for personal space that had her slinking out of the Common Room with teary eyes.

Blaise Zabini came out of the large black marble door adorned with serpents that marked the entrance to the boys' side of the dormitories. Spotting Theo, Blaise sat in a matching armchair nearby and watched Theo's chess match with interest.

"It's scary how good you are this, mate," Blaise said after a few moments of silence.

"Strategy is an important skill to have in life." Theo remarked back, "I've been playing since I was little. Father insisted. It never did make him proud."

"Glad I was spared the burden of a father's expectations." Blaise said, "Though family expectations do seem to be the curse of this House. We aim for greatness, as they say, but our families are to blame for all of us valuing that above all else."

"They should beware the overreaching monsters they've molded." Theo softly said, as he checkmated on the charmed board and the pieces marched back to their original positions. Theo watched Blaise's face to see if there were any telltale signs that Theo's allusion at rebelling against his parentage had alarmed him. They both knew Theo was ambiguously referring to rebelling against everything his parents stood for: the Dark Lord and his war. Blaise mulled over whether he should consider his statement an invitation to band together in dissent or a threatening confession of the side he had chosen in this war to a dear friend. Slytherins were so apt to use doublespeak that it's often hard to know the true subtext at times.

The moment was interrupted by Draco Malfoy abandoning his worktable to conjure a chair that looked more like a throne at the other end of the wizarding chess board so he could sit down with them. To their surprise, he reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a polished silver flask. He offered it directly to Theo as he said, "Shall we cheers to making that a promise then? Between us cunning folks that achieve _their own_ ends?"

He frowned at the flask and taunted, "Should you risk poisoning yourself again so soon after release?" Theo took a sip and passed the flask to Blaise. Blaise let out a snicker before checking the flask's contents and then taking a shot himself.

"I can't believe that happened in Potions. It's almost as if someone purposely poisoned you… As if someone was too stupid to know the proper amount of antidote per person was a tablespoon rather than a full bottle." Blaise pointed out, innocently. Draco didn't seem to get the hint.

"Don't be jealous, Blaise," Draco sneered, "Pansy apologized for the accident. She sat at my bedside practically the whole time. That's just Fire Whisky in there, but if you can't handle drinking it, I'm sure she'd nurse you back to health too if you just begged her to."

"She owes you an apology for throwing that potion _deliberately_ right in your face. Pureblood women should exercise manners, after all." Blaise said, irritated. Theo watched the exchange pensively.

"What reason would she have to do that? That makes no sense!" Draco huffed before vacating the chair in anger and stomping out of the dungeons. A few giggling first year girls jumped up from their spots by the fire to discreetly follow Malfoy to the Great Hall for dinner a few paces behind him.

Blaise looked at Theo in exasperation and said, "There's always a penchant for dramatic exits in this House."

"Always room for you in Hufflepuff. I'm sure they always politely ask to take their leave." Theo began, grinning mischievously, "You know, between poisoning Draco with love potion antidote and being at his bedside, Pansy also shoved Granger yesterday. Threw her book down the hall. Yelled that her reading material was proof of her 'interest in famous Slytherins.'."

Blaise broke out in a menacing smile in return. "You know what this means? We are going to have so much fun ridiculing Pansy to no end, Theo. She actually thinks Draco is in love with that swotty mudblood? This is the highlight of my year." Blaise laughed as he got out the chair, stretched, and surveyed the Common Room. Everyone had cleared out for lunch except them. Theo carefully put his chess board on a side table so pieces wouldn't get jostled. Blaise went over to Draco's study table where he'd left all his stuff laying around, grabbed a few homework parchments, and stuffed the stolen materials in his robe pockets. They set off for the Great Hall.

"Do you need any Transfiguration homework answers? I seemed to have just completed my assignment." Blaise asked, indicating his pocket.

"No thanks."

"Then don't complain to me when you don't get top marks on it. Draco's handiwork always gets me higher scores. Transfiguration is torture. He always scores second in that class somehow, but don't tell him I noticed."

"Bet I can beat both yours and Draco's Transfiguration assignment scores this week." Theo offered. "30 galleons on it?"

Blaise quickly shook Theo's hand in agreement as he scoffed, "Only person to beat Draco in scores will be Granger, mark my words, and I have concerns that she's a transfigured book parading as a human anyways. I'll probably even beat your assignment scores this week too, if I'm sneaky enough. Luckily, that bloke doesn't pick up after himself from years of being catered to by house-elves. You didn't say I couldn't cheat."

 _You didn't say I couldn't either,_ Theo laughed to himself. _Granger completing my assignments for me this week just got that much more satisfying._

* * *

Defense against the Dark Arts was the most contentious class of the day for the rival houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin. Hermione sat down at her desk and immediately gathered everything she'd need in front of her as Neville pulled out the seat next to her at the table. Harry and Ron sat by themselves at the table behind her, and she smiled at them whispering excitedly to each other about Quidditch strategies to try out at practice. They'd hush to softer tones as soon as any Slytherin came by, and Hermione was amused about how they suspicious they were about their top secret plans. A brief look at Neville Longbottom next to her confirmed he looked eager yet afraid as he did in most classes. She gave him a reassuring pat on the arm and smiled at him in hopes of cheering him up. All hopes of Neville's fear diminishing completely vanished when his least favorite teacher strolled in the door.

Snape slammed the door shut behind him and flicked a quick locking charm at it to prevent tardy students from entering. He hated tardiness. No excuses; No entry. Neville's pale face filled with horror at being stuck in the front row so close to one of his greatest fears.

"I will be filling the role of Defense against the Dark Arts Professor beginning today. It seems we will be graced with a Potions Professor from previous years, Horace Slughorn. He's come out of retirement after much persistence from our Headmaster, so treat the Professor with the respect he's due."

Hermione's hand shot up, and Snape had to restrain himself from sighing. "Yes, Miss Granger? I haven't begun the lesson yet, so what could you possibly have questions about?"

"What happened to the Professor that's has taught us so far? " she asked, but Snape announced, "The same thing that has happened to every professor who has occupied this position before now. Gone from this taxing position."

"What do you mean by 'gone'?"

"I mean it's none of the students' business." Snape ended personal questions by students with that blunt answer often, so Hermione didn't push further. Murmurs of "it's the jinx!" began to crop up to Snape's displeasure.

"All of you in this classroom are here because you earned at least an Exceeds Expectations on your O.W.L.s. That's what I expect of your scores in my class from here until the end of the year. If any of you produce work reminiscent of an OWL Poor, Dreadful, or Troll score, I'll dole out detentions. I'd ordinarily require an Outstanding in my class for you to advance to N.E.W.T lessons. Don't…disappoint…me" Snape said, scowling. "Today, we will begin by turning to page 493 in your book. Defensive spells should've been mastered by now, so we will pick up with Offensive spells. Binding curses. This particular curse is pronounced _Incarcerous._ Read the text carefully. Practice pronunciation of the curse then its counter curse which is on the next page before casting the spells with a partner." With that, Snape let them be. He sat at the front desk looking over notes and papers with periodic distrustful glances around the room.

"This is a waste of time. I've been able to cast this curse since I was 7. NEWT level, my arse." came Draco's drawl from the back of the room at his desk surrounded by his Slytherin peers.

"Not everyone is as talented as you, Draco. Look at Longbottom over there. It'll take him all school year just to read the page let alone cast the spell right. His family lineage suffered from inbreeding, I suspect. " Pansy cooed. Hermione turned in her seat from her task of pointing out important parts of the text to Neville to level a warning glare at Pansy.

"Have your laugh, Parkinson. It's not as if _you're_ top of the class."

"I don't need to prove myself as a witch by getting good grades like you do. Everyone knows I'm more of a witch than you are."

"Then why don't you cast this spell and prove it if you're so magical?" Hermione challenged, standing up and gripping her wand. She put her arms out in an inviting gesture. "I already know the countercurse, so have at me if you can manage it." Pansy went to get out of her chair, but Draco was quickly out of his seat and gently shoving her back. He pulled his wand casually out of his robe before loftily flipping it into the ready position in his hand.

"Pans, you sit back. I'll be glad to handle this." he said with a grin over his shoulder at Pansy, who looked about to swoon in her seat at the gallantry. Harry and Ron looked ready to spring from their seats, but Hermione's stern look stopped them. They knew from experience there was no point getting in her way when she had that determined twinkle in her eye.

"How gentlemanly of you to save her the embarrassment." Hermione mocked, holding her own wand at the ready.

"I'm only a gentleman to _ladies,_ Granger. I can't tell what creature you are underneath that giant curly mess you call hair." Fellow Slytherins laughed and clapped in delight at this comeback, and Draco's smug smirk grew.

"I'll clap when I'm impressed." she deadpanned, impatiently.

"Incarcerous!" Draco shouted, light erupting from his wand. Hermione wordlessly flicked her wand in an arch and the spell stopped short of reaching her. Shocked faces and silence took over the room. The only reaction Hermione cared to witness was Draco Malfoy's as his smug face slowly transformed into bafflement.

"Nonverbal magic! We're not even to that section yet! Is that even in the book?" Neville exclaimed, alarmed, as he flipped further in the textbook.

"I'd advise against further spell demonstration." Snape warned, testily, from the teacher's desk in the front of the room. "Detentions will be forthcoming. Wands away and take your seats now, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger."

Ron looked delighted and whispered to Hermione as she sat down, "You should've gotten at least 100 House points for that. That was bloody brilliant!" She was proud that she'd stuck up for a friend and herself, and her face was lit by a small smile the rest of the class as she continued to coach Neville on his spell pronunciation and technique. Neville even seemed grateful that she'd stepped up to his defense, and he studied more resolutely in thanks for her encouragement.

When the period ended, Hermione began packing up in her meticulous way. Most of the students rushed out of this class as fast as possible as it was the last period before dinner. She'd waved Harry and Ron on since they were impatient to tell the whole Gryffindor table of their elaborate Quidditch plans. She'd rather miss that conversation anyways. Hermione was making sure her notes books were orderly in her bag so she wouldn't get to the library with ink spilling and crumpled parchments everywhere. She was used to being the last one out of class. She'd just pulled the strap of her heavy school bag over her shoulder and reached the threshold of the classroom door when the resounding claps reached her ears. She turned around. Draco Malfoy, who'd yet to move from his seat, sat there loudly applauding her with a strangely pleased look.

"What's this about, Malfoy?" She was certain this was a prelude to some sort of prank.

"Well," he said, "I'm impressed." Hermione had no idea what to say, so she left the classroom before her expression could give away her discomfort at receiving praise for the first time from her most earnest rival.

 **A/N: Thanks again for reading Serpensortia! I'm really enjoying how this story is shaping up. I hope you are too! Keep slithering on, sneks!**


	4. Blood Python

**Serpensortia**

 **Chapter Four: Blood Python**

Severus Snape dutifully set to clearing the classroom when the class was dismissed. He was annoyed with the amount of mess the last Defense professor left, but he supposed it couldn't be helped since the professor's departure was so 'unexpected' as was usual for the post. When he came out of the dusty closet at the back of the class with an armful of dusty old parchments to sort through, Draco Malfoy was the only student left. He was leaned back in his chair with his feet propped up on the desk. Snape knew this gesture was purposely done so to annoy him.

Draco enjoyed enticing Severus into scolding him for misconduct, and Draco continuously pushed these boundaries to their limit. It didn't' help that Draco's childhood had been filled with the entitlement to do as he pleased nor that the current political climate prevented Severus from making enemies of Malfoy patriarch by reprimanding their heir albeit justifiably. Despite the endless cheek from this boy, Severus couldn't help the growing twinge of acknowledgment that in many ways his god-son Draco was similar to how he had been at that age—all self-importance, malice, and cunning. Back then, Narcissa has said to him confidentially that her selection of Godparent was owing to her desire to have Draco inherit the very admirable qualities Snape himself possessed. He had no idea what she was talking about personally. At the time, she wouldn't be pressed into further detail about what her hopes for Draco's future had been and how Snape fit into that image. Snape couldn't help but feel that perhaps this approach had backfired spectacularly as Draco was absorbing all the qualities that Snape found loathsome about his youth. It's almost as if this was his retribution for his past behavior, and it would be painful to see Draco make similar mistakes.

Snape set down the rolls of parchment on his desk before coming down the aisles of student work tables to speak with Malfoy. He didn't give Draco the satisfaction of showing displeasure about his ill-treatment of classroom furniture.

"Draco?" Snape questioned. Snape tended to use his given name when they talked in private.

"Severus," Draco said, avoiding looking at Snape directly, "My father writes to me often about his disappointment that I can't best Granger in my studies. He's always said our pure blood contains extraordinary magic that would always conquer over those of lesser blood that carry lesser magic. There are no reasons I can offer for why this happens to me, again and again. He punishes me for clearly not focusing hard enough or not studying long enough or any number of excuses he invents to dismiss this problem."

"Your parents owl me often as well. Your father and mother want the best for you." Snape said.

"I know they want the best for me." Draco replied. "I also know you do as well. I've noticed that you award me more House Points than others. Last week, I turned in a shoddy paper yet you gave it high marks." Draco looked up at Snape, and despite the lack of response, Draco knew Snape was taking his thoughts seriously. "Your efforts are in vain. It's taken me years to finally admit I cannot beat Granger. I'm sure you saw today when it was proved once again. I'm coming to terms with it. What I want to know is why can't I? Am I not every bit the pure blood my parents are?"

The brooding look Draco wore forced Snape to put aside what he knew Lucius and Narcissa would have him say. That Draco was the best as he was a Malfoy. That he could indeed best Granger if he tried harder as if he wasn't already trying his best. That the mudblood was unfortunate and foul by birth and he was not. He was sure Draco had heard these platitudes from his parents enough over the years.

"Adults may come to see the world as they wish it were so. Not as it objectively is." Snape said, solemnly. "I won't tell you what to think, but I will tell you what I've come to know myself as truth. I have worked as a potions maker most of my life. There are many darker potions that require blood sacrifice. I have yet to see a case where a potion was more or less powerful depending on the person's lineage. I've dueled and battled, sometimes alongside your own father, where I have failed to see any difference between the red blood of my pureblooded friends and the red blood of my dirty enemies. Those have been my personal observations, Draco."

Draco stared at Snape with a thoughtful expression and got up slowly from the desk.

"Thank you, Severus. I believe I just learned more from this chat than I did from today's class." Draco called out insolently as he left the room. Severus Snape shook his head in exasperation before sorting the mountain of old parchments on his desk. Snape wondered if the lack of retort or tantrum meant there was hope for that boy yet.

* * *

Draco plopped down at the Slytherin table for dinner with that conversation still weighing on his mind. His Godfather had been rather candid with him for once, and he was glad Snape trusted him by divulging his opinion. Snape could be rather enigmatic to him. Beside him, Pansy chittered on with Daphne about a Witch Weekly she'd just received via owl. Looking beyond Blaise and Theo who sat in front of him, he could see Granger at the Gryffindor table reading while holding a whole forkful of food to her face as if she'd forgotten she was in the middle of eating it. Ron leaned over and ate the forkful, and Hermione was startled from her book. She frowned at Ron pointedly who cheekily grinned, and Draco's face mirrored her own displeasure upon witnessing her feed the Weasel. _Gross_ , he thought, _they're probably together_.

This distraction was noticed by Pansy who followed Draco's gaze to a direct view of the Gryffindor table where Hermione sat. She lightly hugged his arm to get his attention turned towards her.

"Draco," Pansy leaned close to whisper in his ear, "I'd like to thank you for earlier. Maybe in the common room later tonight?"

"Nice try, Pans." Draco sneered back, speaking up loud enough for most of his friends to overhear. "I didn't do it for you. It's just that I couldn't resist teaching that filthy mudblood a lesson. It was long overdue, and she wasn't humiliated nearly enough to satisfy me." Pansy crossed her arms in frustration when Draco brushed off her arm that clutched onto him. Draco felt justified in being so harsh with her. He had his reputation to maintain after all, even at the expense of Pansy's feelings towards him. Being soft on inferiors wasn't part of that image. Being tied down by clingy women like Pansy wasn't part of that either. Theo, Blaise, Daphne, Goyle, and some younger Slytherin girls farther down the table looked on during his outburst unabashedly. Malfoy and Parksinson tended to be the most loud and vocal of the house, much to everyone's annoyance and amusement.

Theo broke the silence after a few tense minutes with his departure for the library. He hadn't expected Malfoy to excuse himself from the table as well to join him on trip. It was as they were walking in the main corridor that Draco asked Theo about helping him find some specific potions reference books.

"You're always in the library, Theo," he said. "Help me. You're practically the librarian at this point. Madam Pince is a menace, and I'd rather search every shelf than ask her for help."

"I'm not your house elf, Draco. Why not just order the books from Flourish and Blotts like you normally do?"

"I want to order them instead…but my parents are owled the bill for my orders. It's best if they didn't know, and I expect you'll keep quiet about this too."

"What are you researching exactly?" Theo asked, curiosity peaked

"Just a little extracurricular potions project Snape assigned today."

"I don't remember hearing about this in _defense_ class." Theo replied, skeptically, pulling open the library door and dropping his voice to a whisper.

Draco deflected the topic. "Anyway, why do you bother coming to the library then? Buying them is easier. Your library at home is bigger. You probably own more books Hogwarts has."

"No reason. I've got plans to study with somebody today, so you're on your own for now. Potions section is over there. Best of luck."

Draco glowered as Theo disappeared to the farther regions of the library before Draco could protest or take note of which book shelved aisle he used as his escape route. There had to be hundreds of aisles here and there'd be no telling where Theo went.

"NOTT! Get back here!" Draco yelled.

"EXCUSE ME, MR. MALFOY. THIS IS A LIBRARY." Madam Pince suddenly appeared beside him and her pinched, stern face pushed her reading glasses up her long nose. She put a finger to her lips to indicate she expected silence. Draco scoffed at her admonishment and walked down a nearby aisle where he began his search in the direction Theo had advised.

* * *

Back in the Slytherin Common Room, Pansy and Daphne sat together in an emerald green loveseat with a coffee table full of books half opened in front of them. They were sipping fresh tea out of fine teacups as they read. They were examining academic books with the excitement they usually reserved for a new Witch Weekly magazine. It made for a rare sight as none of their housemates had ever seen the pair so frenzied over any other publication. None of them had ever seen the two girls studying as their self-proclaimed reputation of being naturally talented witches didn't allow for the humiliation of actually studying. Therefore, the housemates who were witnessing this odd scene in their Common Room sat warily away from them in certainty that those two were up to absolutely nothing good. Something wicked this way comes, indeed.

Putting down her teacup gracefully, Daphne held out a book to Pansy for examination.

"Maybe he's Imperiused?" Daphne offered helpfully.

"To cast an Unforgivable would be a bold move…but I wouldn't put it past Granger. She's a Gryffindor after all. It's possible any girl would go to such lengths to snare a bachelor like Draco. Put that curse on the list too, Daphne."

Daphne scrawled some notes down on a nearby parchment with her quill before assessing the long list she'd written on it.

"It's going to be such hard work to cure poor Malfoy, Pansy. I don't know how you can be so dedicated. We're going to need more help. Should we owl his parents? They'd want to know about this misfortune surely. They could fix this in St. Mungo's…They've got the best healers."

"Absolutely not, Daph! Can you imagine the shame this would bring to the Malfoy name? I plan to take that name one day, so I won't that happen. We'll take care of this by ourselves…with the utmost discretion."

"What about people we trust? Zabini, Nott, Crabbe, or Goyle? They'd help out a friend. "

"Crabbe and Goyle can't follow instruction and they'd blab to everyone. I don't want to depend on them for something this important. I suppose we could talk to Zabini and Nott about our plans. They're not stupid, right?"

"If I do say so myself." Zabini remarked as he leaned against the back of the loveseat to oversee what they were doing. The girls whipped around to look at him, having missed his approach during their discussion. "Though I'd prefer incredibly intelligent and handsome, ladies. It's impolite to gossip like this in the Common Room, you know. _Anyone_ could overhear _allllll_ about yours plans that require the _utmost discretion_."

"Well? Are you going to help us or not, Zabini?" Pansy demanded harshly.

"First, since you insulted me, admit that I'm incredibly intelligent and handsome."

"Absolutely not!" Pansy roared back as Daphne said, "You're very handsome. Your intelligence is what's questionable."

"I expected as much. Alright, I'm in." Blaise shrugged before coming around the loveseat to plop down in the middle of the two girls. "Now tell me what you want me to do."

* * *

In the library, Theo decided to take the calculated risk of sitting at Hermione's study table today instead of his usual seat. He knew he'd chose correctly when she beamed at his presumptuousness instead of pulling her wand from her robes to blast him to the other side of the library. She was very serious about her studies, after all.

"Hello, Nott. You're welcome to share my table anytime."

"Thank you, Granger. I hope you have some homework parchments ready for me?"

"Only if you have the information ready for me as well."

"I've written down all I've learned about what Pansy is up to. It's in this envelope here. Shall we trade then?"

"Yes!" Hermione said impatiently, she slid over the homework she'd completed for him and grabbed the envelope he'd set on the table. Theo casually stuffed the homework into his robe as Hermione opened the wax Slytherin seal on the envelope and held out the enclosed paper in front of her eyes. The paper was blank. She put the paper down onto the table, and she realized Theo's seat was empty. He'd given her nothing but a blank paper, and he'd run off with the homework she'd work hard to prepare for him anyway!

She took off fast in pursuit of Theodore, and after running through a few aisles, she spotted a boy in Slytherin robes leaning against the bookshelf leisurely with his face hidden behind a large potions book as he read. She snuck up on him as quietly as possible before grabbing the front of his robes.

"I've got you now!" Hermione said, triumphantly, as she captured her target. She gripped him in one hand while she ran the hand hurriedly over the robes trying to find the pocket where she thought she'd seen Theo stuff her parchments before he could defend himself.

"Care to explain why you're sexually harassing me, Granger? We're moving up from verbal abuse, I see." Draco said, startled, as he took in being forcefully gripped by Granger.

"OH!" Hermione jumped back against the bookshelf as she quickly pulled her hands back in horror as if she touched something vile. She stood there with wide eyes as Draco set down his book and moved towards her. He put his hands on either side of her to intimidate her and smirked.

"It seems I've got you now, Granger. What are you doing?" he mocked, grey eyes curious.

"…Sorry…I thought you were Theodore Nott..." she said cringingly as she tried to duck out of his outstretched arms. Malfoy's eyebrow moved up in disbelief. He kept her enclosed and she stopped struggling but her face looked like this was the greatest torture she'd faced yet.

"Oh no you don't, Granger! Hold it! What in Merlin's name are you _thinking_ grabbing a bloke like that? You were _groping_ me because you thought I was Nott? _Theodore Nott_?"

"I said I was sorry! Let me go! I wasn't touching you purposely! It was an attempt to get my homework back. Nott and I were doing homework and ran off after stuffing my parchment in his pockets…."

"Study buddies now, are you?"

"Something like that..?" Hermione said, unsure how to phrase her new and unconventional friendship with Nott. Her vague, distrustful answer caused Draco to assume the worst of her relations with Theo.

"You'll be too busy helping me with this project to mess around studying with Theodore anymore. Grab that stack of books. We're going to the potions lab –" Draco commanded, finally letting her go so he could pick up the book he'd set aside.

"As if I'd do anything you said – " Hermione complained, before her eyes caught the spine of the book he held. _Properties and Uses of Magical Blood by Peter Peverell._ She regarded the pile he'd amassed on the edge of the bookshelf with interest. There were many, but a few held her interest the most. _The Fallacy of Pureblood Elitism by Viktor Gilbert II. Family Histories of the Sacred Twenty Eight by Cantankerus Nott._

When she looked back at Draco Malfoy with wondering eyes, his face was a little flushed from embarrassment at her thorough examination of his stack of books as if he felt his new questions concerning blood status were becoming transparent, but his angry expression dared her to comment about it. Hermione felt it best not to say anything about his research just yet lest she discourage his sudden interest in the topic. She picked up the stack of books with the vigor of a girl who normally carried such a large pile every day and looked expectantly at him.

"Don't command me like a house elf." was all she said as he lead them out of the library.

"Okay. I get that a lot actually." he replied, pleasantly for once in his life, which made Hermione sigh and wonder what in Merlin's name she was doing humoring spoiled prat Malfoy instead of studying. Or, at the very least, tracking down Theodore who was still at large with her homework.

 **A/N : Hope you enjoyed another chapter! To those that reviewed last chapter, thank you so much! Reviews always get me thinking about how best to show my perspective on certain character's traits. I loved hearing about your opinions! I completely agree that there is no way Hermione would instantly fall for someone after they gave her a little bit of attention. I also feel like Draco wouldn't stay long with someone in a relationship where everything came as easily to him as the luxuries he's had in his life. It would take a person he had to fight for to get him tied down. Just my opinion. In regards to Pansy, her character is based on exaggerated insecurities that can prey upon a person who continues to pursue unrequired love. Until next time, sneks!**


	5. Sonoran Sidewinder

**Serpensortia**

 **Chapter Five: Sonoran Sidewinder**

"What a waste! Hope that hits some sense into a Gryffindor at least," Draco announced, leaning over the railing of the moving staircase to peer down at its depths. A book from the pile Granger clutched in her hands had fallen over the side when the staircase had abruptly changed course. The sudden jostle caused her to stumble and lose the book from the top of her precarious stack. Draco could've grabbed her arm and righted her easily, but that would require purposely helping and touching her. That book could've been important to his research though. He frowned and shrugged before turning to address her. "You are quite possibly the worst servant I've ever had."

"I told you: I'm not a house elf!"

"I didn't say 'elf'. I said _'_ servant'."

"THAT'S IT!" Hermione bellowed, completely frustrated, before gently setting the books down on the stone steps. "You can take these books to the potions lab by yourself, Malfoy. I'm sure even wizards as incompetent as you can leviosa if you're too delicate to carry them yourself." She started to march back up the steps, but she didn't get far. Draco reached out and grabbed her wrist to pull her back down a few steps towards him.

"Wait!" he said, cringing at having to placate her. "I'll…try to be civil…while we brew?"

"Why bother? You're obviously incapable of it." Her brown eyes sparkled with anger, and Malfoy looked directly into their depths in hopes of conveying his sincerity. She yanked her hand out of his light grasp and crossed her arms resolutely.

"What about a truce for the sake of this project? I can't complete it without your help."

"Get someone else to help you!" A group of Hufflepuffs tried to pass them on the stairway. They worked their way around the pair who didn't budge one inch from their hostile stances and their stack of books left strewn on the steps, but the Puffs didn't bother to involve themselves as the pair having a row at every inconvenient locale in Hogwarts was nothing new.

"No, it has to be you. _Your_ blood."

"Oh, I should've known better. I'm a lab experiment to you now, is that it? Because of my _normal_ blood no less! It's not unclean or muddy brown or somehow different in any way!" Her yelling resounded in the stairwell punctuated by the grinding of stairwells moving and coming together with landings.

"I'm just trying to find answers to questions I have, Granger! Surely you can relate to that?"

While Draco did want these answers to satisfy his own curiosity, he knew his appeal to her insatiable quest for knowledge wouldn't fail to entice her. Granger did raise an interesting point, he mentally conceded. Was he attempting this specifically to prove that muggleborns were as inhuman as he'd been raised by his father to believe? She obviously thought he was. However, he'd certainly be responsible for his own failure to best a lesser witch like Granger then. Alternatively, was he doing this in hopes that he could prove muggleborns were human, and therefore, it wasn't unreasonable to lose occasionally to a peer? If that conclusion came to fruition, the moral complication of knowing muggleborns were equals would surely put him in a perilous disadvantage with his parents, their pureblood social circles, and the Dark Lord. It would difficult to bear witness to any revels with the cool detachment he'd adopted before at such gruesome occasions if that were the case. He was soon to be Marked by the Dark Lord this year and muggle bloodshed at the initiation would be expected. He honestly didn't know which conclusion to hope for, and he felt that perhaps that's acceptable at present, since his expectations wouldn't impede his objective research then. He internally admitted to possibly being a coward by not wanting to commit to hypothesis just yet.

"I understand, but I have a few conditions then, Malfoy."

"Spit them out then."

"Like you said, a truce. I want you and your vile girlfriend to stop tormenting me. I'll be sacrificing my study time on this, and I don't want to waste even more time feuding over nothing."

"Don't push your luck. I can attempt polite, but it's laughable that I'd suddenly be friendly with you without raising suspicion. Parkinson is not my anything. I didn't realize her completely ignoring your existence since first year was considered an ongoing attack to you. Expecting everyone to sing your praises at all times, are you?"

"I've been granted the misfortune of her attention this year, and I won't help if she's involved."

"Look at you, becoming fast friends with all these snakes suddenly."

"It's best we keep this whole project quiet too."

"I couldn't agree more. Now, are you ready to get off this bloody staircase already? You took so long whining it's not even going the right way any longer."

"I'm not finished with my demands."

"Merlin's beard, wrap it up. I'm losing patience."

"Stay out of my friendship with Nott. Interhouse unity is important, and well...it's nice having someone to study with in the library."

"As if I cared who you associated with? I just don't want you prioritizing social visits over this project after all." Draco said, lamely. Admittedly, he knew Granger's fervor for work, and he had no doubts about her dedication. He had a lot of questions about the sudden acquaintance between Granger and Nott as Nott was a very calculated bloke with little use for friends he didn't have designs on. Obviously, he wanted Granger's rapport for something. Draco decided to keep an eye on this development Theo had probably purposely neglected to mention. You know, for the sake of keeping his friend out of trouble. Not at all out of curiosity or mistrustfulness of Nott's intentions towards Granger, he assured himself. Simply, Draco felt entitled to using her as his personal target and outlet for degradation. He'd resolved to dissuade Nott from this silly involvement with the Gryffindor if he couldn't successfully talk Granger out of it. At least, Nott could see reason and the disadvantages of angering a Malfoy were clear, whereas Granger was stubbornly resolute in her decisions regardless of consequences. If anything, he figured, just publicly pointing out the acquaintance would damage both of their reputations enough for them to ensure withdrawal of their friendship as Slytherins and Gryffindors were bitter rivals, but then, he risked Granger backing out of the project with him in retaliation. Perhaps, he will talk to Pansy about her treatment of Granger while also dropping the subtle hint that Nott and Granger are becoming close pals so that Pansy could play the gossipmonger instead of him.

"You're making a terribly wicked face right now, did you know?" Hermione looked mistrusting. His eyes were shining with gleeful mischief, and rightfully so, this gave her cause to worry. That look always preluded creative attempts to demean her or her friends, so he couldn't blame her for being wary.

"I just had some brilliant ideas for our project is all, not to worry." he said, evasively, using his hand to make a sweeping, gentlemanly gesture to prompt her down the stairs in the direction of the potions lab.

"I'll be the judge of that." she said, brandishing the books and turning on her heel down the stairs with a humph at his chivalrous mannerism. The flourish of her robes swirling around her gave him a preview of long, slender legs leading to a grey skirt. Pureblood were a conservative culture, even in fashions, and Draco blamed his taking visceral notice of her legs on the instincts of any boy his age confronted with the surprise of a flattering physique. After composing himself, he followed her lead, and he realized as he observed her that for such a bookworm, she must be fit under those bulky robes to carry that mountain of books and march down these stairs so briskly. As soon as the thought came unbidden to his mind, he frowned. What on earth has gotten into him all of a sudden? There were plenty other suitable girls to be imagining, and a thought like that about Granger deserved no indulgence in his mind. He wouldn't think about it again, he determined.

When they arrived to the potions lab, they thankfully had the place to themselves. Professor Slughorn must've retired to his quarters for the day. Hermione proceeded to her normal worktable, and she began immediately digging into the information Draco had gathered. Draco figured that they would quickly agree on a potion and collect the ingredients they'd need from the lab since the new professor was unlikely to be knowledge on the stock levels of the potion storeroom yet. Then, Draco decided they'd seek a more private brewing location out of the way of fellow student and teacher interference. If caught, he'd say it was an extracurricular assignment from Professor Snape as was the stretched truth he told Nott anyway. He planned to feed the same lie to Granger if she asked too, knowing that she'd be staunchly against any rule breaking. Severus would likely vouch for him albeit with a touch of exasperation.

"How did you intend to test the blood? We could try to identify any magical properties contained in the blood samples, but that's unlikely to completely answer the question of the effectiveness of one's magical ability. It would be best –"

"—to test the relative strengths with two identical potions each containing a different blood sample, yes." Draco finished, with a pointed look daring her to contradict him. He didn't enjoy her pretending he was obtuse. "I'm second best behind you in lessons, Granger. You don't have to explain everything as if I'm Potty or Weasel."

"My apologies. I'd always assumed you bought your grades. Your family is a generous donor to Hogwarts, after all." Hermione mumbled, critically. "I mean, there were those broomsticks that got you on the Quidditch team…"

"You think that old coot Dumbledore would let me pass exams through bribery, do you? I'll have to try that. He's partial to sweets. A classroom full of Bertie's beans from Honeydukes should do it." Draco countered sarcastically.

"That's an absurd idea."

"That was an absurd accusation."

"Fine," she relented, "I shouldn't be shocked. Cleverness is expected of a Slytherin, I suppose."

"Yet I'm shocked that somehow an annoying Gryffindor swot beats me each year."

Hermione missed his latest retort as she was lost in reading. After a few silent moments of hearing nothing but castle creaking and dungeon drippings, Hermione excitedly pushed the book forward for Draco to examine.

"How about this potion for testing? It should do for our purpose."

 **A/N : Thanks for reading another chapter, sneks! I'm really enjoying playing games with all these Slytherin characters. I didn't realize how much I needed a story like this with each of them having all these ulterior motives and schemes. I'll get the next chapter up soon! Really excited about the next chapter as the potion they're experimenting with gets revealed, and we discover why Theo gave her a blank paper (spoiler: it's a charmed parchment). I feel like I've fleshed out enough of the Slytherins personalities and motivations to get this plot rolling, so I'm looking forward to lots of drama and an intense, slow burning, realistic ( I mean as realistic as magical students in a wizarding world can be) romance! I rated this fic M with the intention of addressing adult content through violence and war themes, etc. as this fic will get into the nitty gritty of the battles with the Dark Lord, but I'm debating how on "vivid" scenes of sexual nature should be between Draco and Hermione later on. I'd love to hear opinions on that issue and any thought you had about this chapter! Thanks again for reading! Until next time, sneks!**


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